Lots of weaving

Our Guild is 30 this year and is having an exhibition in Newbury Museum (by invitation!) and the theme is 'the Woods'. I think, but I was ill at the time, that originally the theme was 'If you go down to the woods today'. Anyway my contribution was designed months ago - but not woven and, since the deadline is fast approaching, I started. It is a small table cloth, suitable for teddy bears, in Biederwand, with a row of trees at each end. However (amazing how there is always a 'However'), I ran into trouble. It is on 8 shafts on the Schacht and the problem was that most of the treadles had to lift a lot f shafts, like 7 out of 8!!!. So since the threading was okay, I turned the draft upside down so that I can see the back of the fabric. Much much better for weaving and I am now weaving at high speed. But I do not like not seeing the front when weaving. I keep looking at the true front with a torch and a mirror and it looks okay but - - -  I do not trust myself.

I am working on the assumption that I can mend anything awful. I started weaving Monday after lunch and finished one row of trees. This morning I have completed the centre section and have started on the second row of trees. I should finish this afternoon and be able see how good/awful the front is. I will take some photos.

About the only rule for submission is that the work is recent. I have two lengths of fabric which I will also submit. I need to find them first!!  

Trip to Malvern

Yesterday was very tiring. I drove up to Malvern, starting at 0900 hours and it rained all the way so much so that it was foggy and everyone on the motorways was driving slowly. Then had lunch with a friend, napped for an hour and finally attended a rather wet wedding. They had set up a marquee and that was waterproof  and so that there was time and space to gossip. The people getting married are my sort of age and so they have friends of similar age and people were present whom I used to work with. A bit disconcerting to be greeted with happy shouts of 'Pat Foster'!!! The time passed quickly and I was back on the road  to get home at 1930. No rain just a sunset which was rather good.

I spotted two sites from which I should be able to get a good haul of photographs. Life is going to be easier. Various deadlines have been met and I need to finish weaving a table cloth by next Saturday to hand it for the Guild exhibition. Should be doable. Watch this space. 

A Treat

Yesterday Dorothy and I went to Kew Gardens. I have not been for years and expected to enjoy it. But in addition we went to see the Chihuly exhibition and that was fabulous. Large coloured glass works of art all over the Gardens. There was also an exhibition in an art gallery which I did not like so much. I decided because the works looked better sited amongst greenery.

We also looked at the Marianne North paintings which need another visit. All in all a lovely day and the cream tarts in the Orangery Café were fantastic!!

I do not seem to have done much this week. Off to printmaking now. I have run into problems with the tablecloth I am weaving in Biederwand. Without paying any attention, I have created a draft which needs 5 or 7 lifted shafts and there are too many mistakes! So I am going to try reversing the draft and as the deadline for submission is rapidly approaching, I must do that soon.

Gallivanting

Friday and Saturday, Dorothy and I put the dogs into the dogsitter's and went off for the day. On Friday we went to Savill Gardens. Very good, immaculately kept. I wonder if the Queen goes round and says Weedy!! Because it is not weedy at all. The Rose Garden is past its best though a few were left. See below. They have two cafes - very nice

Afterwards we went to Hilliers Garden centre which is a mile or two away and had tea in their gorgeous café which looks out over fields. The garden centre is equally gorgeous but then Hilliers has been around for a very long time. My husband would not patronise anyone else  and he was always ordering raw and exotic conifers and maples. But we had a sizeable garden then. When we wnet in we said to each other, No buying plants. I should have known better. WE came home with a lovely hibiscus!!

We were less than  30 minutes drive from the dog sitters. So not so tiring as I expected.

On Saturday. back to the dog-sitter and then by train to London Victoria  and on foot to Buckingham Palace and the Queen's Gallery where they had an exhibition of da Vinci drawings. She owns 500 of his drawings and 200 of them  were on display. The big problem for me was that some of the drawings  were very faded and the light was very low (conservation). But all in all, a good day. I was interested in the modern buildings on Palace Road, very avant garde and I wished I had taken my camera.

On Sunday we had a restful day. I was worried as I have not done too much exhibition viewing since last November but I seem to have survived. And today, I must do a few tasks, like weaving. I have discovered that you can buy perfectly adequate picture frames from Ikea and have been framing some of my lino cuts. I  have bought several frames and have only one left to do.